Adolph thommen



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH THOMMEN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF REPRO DUCING NATURAL LEAVES.

ESPECIIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,094, datedOctober 25, 1887.

- Application filed June 29, 1887. Serial No. 242,833. (No snecim us.)

of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a process and means forreproducing leaves, flowers, wings of insects, shells, or otherarticlesin metal, and to accomplish the result more block of the desiredsize.

perfectly than by the ordinary methods and means and at agreatly-reduced cost. Heretofore it has been the custom to engrave theforms or patterns from which the dies are cast or made at great expense,requiring skilled labor of a high degree, by which means it isfrequently impossible to get aperfectimit-ation of nature in metal, nomatter how much labor or skill may be employed. By my improved process aperfect reproduction of a natural leaf or other object, no matter howdelicate its texture, can be readily secured,and at a mere nominalexpense.

The invention consists in the process substantially as follows: I take,forexample, the natural leaf or flower and place it in proper positionin a receptacle containing sand or other analogous granulated material,laying the leaf on the top of the sand, and, where the delicacy of theleaf or whatever object I desire demands it, covering the same withathin solution of shellac. This, however, is not necessary in coarserobjects. I now prepare a thin solution of plaster-of-paris and apply thesame with a light brush to the upper surface of the object, applying afilm of greater or less thickness, according to the nature of the case,and after the same has dried I'prepare a box-like form of sufficientsize to receive a larger quantity of plaster, so as to make a The leafbefore referred to, having become set and stiff, I carefully lift thesame from the sand with an appropriate instrument, and with a delicatebrush carefully brush away the sand or other objectionable materialtherefrom. I then apply a light coatingof oil to the surface of the leafwhich has come in contact with the sand, to prevent it fron'radhering.The box being filled with plaster of the desired consistency, I nowcarefully embed the leaf therein, the oiled side upward, using greatcare in the operation, so as not to injure the leaf in any way. Whenthis operation has been completed to my satisfaction, I leave it untilthe plaster has become sufficiently dry and hard. I now remove the boxwhich contains the plaster, and with a suitable instrument or tool trimoifthe corners of the block and carefully remove all the surplus plasterfrom around the edges of the leaf, using great care not to mar or breakthe edges or surface of the leaf in any way. This being done, I set thecast one side and allow it to become thoroughly dry, after which,

with suitable'instruments, I carefully remove the leaf, leaving anabsolutely perfect impression thereof in the plaster cast. I then coatthe whole block with shellac and have metal dies cast therefrom, (maleand female,) from which I can take any number of impressions in metal,such as gold, silver, or any other metal, which will be absolutelyperfect,

from which dies I can strike up from metal any number of duplicates ofthe leaf or other object which has been impressed, leaving no work forthe jeweler or engraver other than sometimes to trim off the edges whereit is necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Theprocess herein described of producing on metal designs of flowers,leaves, wings of insects, shells, and other articles by carefullyembedding anatural leaf, flower, or other object in sand or otheranalogous granulated material held in a suitable receptacle, thenapplying to the upper surface of the leaf a bedding the leaf in theplaster cast of the desired consistency, with the oiled side upward,leaving it therein until the plaster has become sand with the aid of anappropriate instrument, then after carefully brushing away the sand orother objectionable matter therefrom sufiieiently dry and hard, thentrimming off applying a light coating of oil to the surf-nee the cornersof said cast or block and carefully removing the surplus plaster fromaround the edges of the leaf, then carefully removing the leaf from saidcast, leaving" an absolutely perfeetimpression thereofin the plastereast, and then covering the whole block or east with shellac and havingmetal dies cast therefrom, from which any number of absolutely perfectimpressions in metal, such as gold, silver, can be taken, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

2. The process herein described of produe ing on metal designs ofleaves, flowers, wings ofinseets, shells, and other articles bycarefully embedding a natural leaf, flower, 01 other object in sand orother analogous granulated material held in a suitable receptacle, and,where the delicacy of the leaf or other object demands it, covering theupper surface of the same with a thin solution of shellac, then applying thereon a film composed of a solution of plaster-of-paris, andafter said film is dry and the leaves have become set and stiff carefully lifting or removing the same from the of the leaf which has comein contact with sand, then carefully embedding the leaf in a plastereast of the desired consistency, with the oiled side upward, leaving ittherein until the plaster has become sufficiently hard and dry, thentrimming off the corners of said block or east and carefully removingthe surplus plaster from around the edges of the leaf, then earefull yremoving the leaf from said cast,leaving an absolutely perfectimpression thereof in the plaster east, and then covering the wholeblock or cast with shellac and having metal dies east therefrom, fromwhich any number of ahsolutel y perfect impressions in metal, such asgold, silver, 850., can be taken, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this10th day of June, 1887.

ADOLPH THOMMEN.

Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, CHARLES H. PELL.

